Ivan Logan, known as “Ivan Nuru”, is a writer from Mississippi. He currently attends The New School studying Literature. Ivan is the author of Amazon best-seller Offering My Heart and has a new collection coming out soon. Her Campus spoke to Ivan about his creative process and his life.
Her Campus: Can you say a little bit about your background? How did you first start writing poetry and how did you end up at The New School?
Ivan Nuru: I started writing sometime in high school. During those days, I felt like my emotions were a burden and I didn’t want it to become a burden to others. Instead of reaching out to people for help, I found the help I needed in poetry. Writing was and still is my therapy. Those sessions of therapy turned into an entire collection of poetry. After I released Offering My Heart, I googled great universities for writing and The New School found me.
HC: Offering My Heart is such a beautiful title. What made you pick that for your first book?
IN: Thank you! One day I thought wow– I’m offering my heart with this book and I became sure of the title.
A page from Offering My Heart. Image from Nuru’s Twitter.
HC: What has your experience with self-publishing been like?
IN: Self-publishing reassures me that you don’t need a publishing company or anyone to get your work out there. Everyone deserves to feel in-control of their work. Self-publishing gives me confidence and control, I recommend it to anyone who wants to get there work out there.
HC: It feels like aren’t a lot of college-age guys who are interested in poetry and are able to be vulnerable the way your work is. What would you say to men who still think poetry is girly or not worth their time?
IN: I believe that all poetry is vulnerable work and men stereotypically aren’t suppose to show vulnerability. I don’t think college-age guys necessarily think it’s girly, I think some are just afraid to show what everyone has. Emotions.
HC: Your next book has been in the works for awhile. How is it different from Offering My Heart and what do you most want readers to know about it?
IN: It’s been about two years since the last release, I’ve grown so much as a person/poet. I believe we’re more alike than different, so I also believe people will appreciate what my book says about growth. I’ve never been this vulnerable before, but its exactly whats needed. I want my readers to know that my message will always include accepting all your flaws, all of your hurt, and all of yourself. We all deserve that acceptance and that is a big part of what my next book says about growth.
Offering My Heart is available for purchase on Amazon, and you can find Ivan on Instagram and Twitter as @ivannuru.